The Billie Sutton Leadership Institute’s sixth year is underway, and the 2024 Sutton Leaders and Rural POWER class has been announced.

Sixteen members of the new class met for a training seminar this past weekend in Oacoma to kick off the year-long leadership development program.

Among those participating is Danielle Duxbury of Wessington Springs, in the Rural POWER class.

Billie Sutton, a former state senator, 2018 candidate for governor of South Dakota, and founder of the Sutton Leadership Institute said, “This is our sixth year of providing South Dakota leaders with impactful training and opportunities for learning, networking, and growth. These folks are leading in communities big and small, and we are proud to support them as they take on ambitious new plans to make a difference throughout South Dakota.”

The non-partisan, 501(c)(3) nonprofit Billie Sutton Leadership Institute is dedicated to inspiring and preparing the next generation of leaders to build a stronger South Dakota and more vibrant communities and workplaces through service to others.

Sutton Leaders is the Institute’s original program, now in its sixth year, focused on leadership development, community engagement, and public service across South Dakota.

Rural POWER, now in its fourth year, seeks to grow a new generation of rural leaders and encourage involvement in local rural cooperatives providing essential services to South Dakota communities.